Sat, 30 May 2009

Kim Jong-Il, North Korea’s dictator, has taken his country off the deep end. While we were enjoying beer and brats over the holiday weekend, the Communist regime successfully tested a nuclear bomb. Not satisfied with just that, North Korea launched two test missiles, one a surface-to-air and the other a surface-to-ship. So, in two days, North Korea demonstrated it was now a member of the nuclear club and that it had a delivery capability. With Iran’s nuclear huffing and puffing, North Korea’s actions underscore the axis of evil concept.

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Thu, 28 May 2009

OMG! On my way home today, there was a Dodge Neon on the other side of the freeway with its hood laying against the windshield. How’d that happen? Was the driver looking between the narrow gap between the hood and the car body? At highway speeds? I wish I could have gotten a picture of this bizarre event. Fortunately, as I passed this guy, he was getting off the expressway.

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Mon, 25 May 2009

To many, the Memorial Day holiday weekend marks the beginning of the summer season. Some people forget the historical significance, which should be all the more important to us as a country entering the 8th year of the “overseas contingency operations”, formerly known as the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT).

As some may know, I’m a Michigan Army National Guardsman. I know people who have been killed in the Global War on Terror. Although I didn’t know him, one Guardsman is from the city I live in. We must remember those who are willing to give the ultimate sacrifice for the freedoms we enjoy today. Their service is not political, regardless of your views on the current conflict.

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Sun, 24 May 2009

It’s no secret Detroit Public Schools (DPS) have been in dire straits for years. Obama’s new Education Secretary caught on pretty quick. Sec. Arne Duncan said DPS will be a “huge focus” of his tenure, indicating there’s a moral obligation to Detroit’s kids. In reporting Duncan’s remarks, the Detroit News said

The Detroit schools are beset by daunting problems: troubles with funding, a poverty rate among the highest in the state and students who perform poorly. Detroit Public Schools’ students have typically posted some of the worst scores in the state while its high schools are graduating just over half its students.

Funding doesn’t seem to be the fundamental problem. Bob2 (Robert Bobb), the emergency financial manager appointed to staunch DPS’ bleeding fiscal abscesses, has found ineptness and corruption contributing to the financial morass. Two have been indicted, two more are suspect, and I’m sure there will be more to follow. Besides blatant corruption, there are cases like the contract to secure and clean out closed schools. The contactor, with ties to school board members, never performed the work.

Many folks like to label urban areas as welfare cheat havens. While there are certainly those types of people, I have long believed the fundamental issue with urban dysfunction has to do with the disparity of education. If we dont’ teach Johnny how to read, he won’t be able to get and hold a job. Many want to blame the city, the school system. No doubt both have a role. But dropout rates have a basis in violence. That’s actually not as surprising as it should be. On an individual level, why would I want to go to school if I was afraid I’d get mugged or killed? It’s not a big leap, therefore, to violence being a disincentive to getting an education. How many bright, talented young people has society squandered because they live in an urban school district?

Looks to me like Bob2 is making great headway in addressing the financial woes of Detroit’s schools. Mayor Bing needs to focus on addressing the safety issue. Without both, DPS will be no better off.

Sat, 23 May 2009

President Obama still treats the auto industry unequally compared to the financial industry. Both are vital, he says, yet banks and Wall Street get shored up. We can’t let either fail. If it’s unacceptable for GM or Chrysler to just liquidate, why is it ok to give them a bailout so pitifully small there’s no doubt both will be driven into bankruptcy? I guess uncontrolled liquidation would be like murder. The pocket change given to Chrysler and GM was designed to give them time to get their affairs in order before pulling the plug on their life support.

Back in December, I pointed out automaker problems would have far reaching effects”. Apparently, no one got that until Chrysler chopped 798 dealers, impacting 40,000 dealership employees in every state of the union. Suddenly, some politicians are upset, including Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL), Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and at least 66 other Congressmen are agitated about the dealer closings. Duh! Did y’all think this was just a Detroit thing?

Chrysler is cutting 789 dealerships which will affect about 40,000 employees. That equals about 50 employees per dealership. Assuming the same ratio for GM, the net affect on jobs touches over 96,000 people. In Michigan, the 39 Chrysler dealers to be shuttered equates to about 1,980 workers. Michigan should expect another 2,675 jobs to be affected by GM dealership reductions. So, on top of the Big 3 job losses, Michigan is losing at least 4,700 dealership jobs. What’s hard to track is the ancillary jobs, like the barber, party store, donut shop, and neighborhood restaurant.

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Fri, 22 May 2009

On May 19th, the Michigan Senate introduced Senate Bill 585 for another opportunity to keep Cobo Hall viable. In particular, the intent is to keep the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. I don’t live in Detroit, but I seriously want the Auto Show to be in Detroit. That means Cobo Hall needs repairs and improvements the City of Detroit can’t afford.

Since the Auto Show represents about $500 million to the local economy, we’ve got to have it. This is particularly important in view of the loss of automotive jobs, production, and shuttered suppliers and dealerships in the southeast Michigan region. To some, it doesn’t matter whether the show is in Detroit or a suburb. I admit either is good, but it’s a matter of pride to me that the show be at Cobo in Detroit. The D is Motown! It’s not time to ignore what made Detroit great like some disused neighborhood because of mistrust or myopic pomposity.

Emmet Moten, the developer who just opened the Fort Shelby Hotel downtown, was at the meeting and found it appalling. Moten went to Lansing in 1983 on behalf of Mayor Coleman Young to successfully lobby for a regional tax to support Cobo.

I don’t keep track of events at Cobo Center, but I’m sure the Auto Show is not the only event held there. If the Auto Show moves to the suburbs to an improved facility, how many other events will follow? The potential loss to the city has got to be in the billions! Despite his flaws, former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick was stewarding investment in Detroit, efforts started under Dennis Archer. If Cobo becomes a disused shell at the heart of Detroit, the new hotels and other downtown businesses will shrivel up. Unemployment, already at 20% or higher in Detroit, will jump even higher. The city will lose revenue from precipitous drops in hotel stays and even the casinos will be impacted.

Today, I discovered Detroit wants to host the 2020 Olympiad. What do you suppose the chances will be if Cobo goes under, taking Detroit hotels with it? The 2020 Olympiad may be 11 years away, but the decision will be made before then. Which brings us to the deadline for a decision on Cobo that Detroit City Council equates to a gun held to their heads. Do they not have a clue about how business works? Frankly, I’m surprised the Auto Show is willing to give them until after July 1st to decide. Most convention venues book up more than a year, even two years, out. Admittedly, I’m amazed the Council is proposing to nix the Cobo deal a second time before the State Senate bill even passes. I’m truly saddened by the apparent disregard for Detroit’s citizens and reputation evidenced by the Detroit City Council. Monica Conyers, Barbara Rose Collins, and Martha Reeves are the chief antagonists. Looks like Emmet Moten thinks Coleman would support the Cobo deal and if Kenyatta supports it, it must be good for Detroit. The only gun being held to Detroit City Council’s head is the one they’re playing Russian Roulette with.

California’s unemployment rate is 11.2%, so they could surpass Michigan, but it’s not likely. On the other hand, Gov. Schwartzenegger faces a $33.9 billion budget deficit. While it’s certainly not good, Michigan’s $1.3 billion shortfall pales in comparison. California voters turned down proposals to solve the fiscal morass. The proposals included a tax increase and shuffling money from the state lottery and local health and mental health fenced funds. Voters did approve one proposal, though. They told the legislature no pay raises when the state faces a deficit. No matter how the Governator fixes this one, I’ll bet he won’t be back.

Despite lower unemployment, California has a higher foreclosure rate than Michigan. In California, foreclosures are at 4.19% with Michigan at 3.7%. Florida and Nevada far outpace the rest of the country at 8.95% and 6.58%. What’s up with that?

Michigan has a longer shoreline, touching 4 of the 5 Great Lakes. California has the Pacific Ocean, but it also has mudslides, earthquakes, and annual nasty forest fires. And the Redwings beat the Ducks in the playoffs.

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Sat, 16 May 2009

The Speaker of the House released a statement saying she really meant it was the Bush Administration that misled the Congress. She says she has respect for the CIA’s employees. Then why did she say it would be nice if they released the briefings so we’d know what they briefed and when? Still doesn’t change the fact she knew about waterboarding.

Pelosi seems to have the first two covered pretty well (pun intended). Seems she’s not too good on that last one…

Despite the hype of a thorough vetting process, there’s no need to read the tea leaves to find out the most likely propspect. Cross out three names right off the bat. Kagan and Napolitano are already Administration big wigs, so no new scandal there. They won’t have any back taxes due. And Merrick Garland’s out from the get-go because of his name. While being the only male on the list might give him an edge, he’s obviously missing something the other candidates have in common.

Wood seems to be a person of character. Independent-minded, she’s willing and able to stand up for what she believes, even when her opinion is not popular. Those are characteristics I value in a Supreme Court Justice. They’re probably also disqualifying once she hits the Senate confirmation meatgrinder.

But I couldn’t find anything on Google about Wood owing back taxes. Same for Sonia Sotomayer, who was maligned by The New Republic‘s Jeffrey Rosen. The blogosphere if full of posts about Sotomayer being qualified. There are a lot of opinions both for and against Wood and Sotomayer based on their rulings, opinions, and perceived positions.

Everything considered, however, only one name on the short list is likely to be a serious contender. Even though she has zero time on the bench and her only court-related experience is as Attorney General, Michigan’s Gov. Jennifer Granholm has one thing over all the other candidates. Granholm has tax problems! Fits right in with the deficit reduction plan.